Landscape Lighting
A practical, field-tested guide to low-voltage lighting: design, fixture selection, wiring methods, transformer sizing/taps, testing, and long-term maintenance.
Plan
Choose fixture types and placement that improve safety and curb appeal without glare.
Build
Use the right wire gauge, balanced runs, and sealed connections to prevent repeat failures.
Maintain
Test, re-aim, and keep splices serviceable so performance stays consistent as landscaping grows.
Safety, curb appeal, entertaining, or architectural highlights—each needs a different plan.
Transformer sizing + taps should match run length and load for even brightness.
Most failures are moisture + corrosion. Waterproof splices prevent intermittent outages.
Aim, reduce glare, and verify voltage under load so the system looks right in real conditions.
Green Guru LLC designs and installs custom low-voltage landscape lighting systems—then supports them with repair, upgrades, and long-term maintenance. This guide summarizes the planning and build standards we use in the field.
If you’d rather have a tech verify your system in person, start with Repairs (in-season) or Design & Installation (new build).
Most landscape lighting systems run on 12V (sometimes 15V taps) supplied by a transformer converting household power down to a safer working voltage. Low-voltage systems are flexible, serviceable, and ideal for paths, entries, trees, garden beds, and architectural accents.
Great lighting starts with a goal: safety, security, curb appeal, or entertaining. We break designs into zones (front walk, driveway, backyard living, tree accents) and choose fixture types to match the effect.
Consistent spacing, controlled glare, and enough output for safe footing.
Aim for texture and depth - avoid \"spotlight on the house\" unless that's the intent.
Related: Wire gauge + voltage drop basics.
Voltage drop is what causes a system to look great near the transformer and weak at the far end. It is driven by distance, load (wattage), and wire gauge. The fix is almost always a better wiring plan: rebalance runs, shorten the longest leg, use thicker wire, or use transformer taps strategically.
Related: Troubleshooting voltage drop.
Add total fixture wattage and size the transformer with headroom. A common rule is 25% capacity margin so the transformer runs cooler and the system has room for future additions. Multi-tap transformers help solve voltage drop by letting you feed longer runs with a higher tap so the far end lands closer to the target voltage.
Related: Transformer (multi-tap) guide.
Most chronic lighting issues come back to splices: moisture intrusion and corrosion create intermittent failures. The standard is simple: keep connections sealed, strain-relieved, and serviceable.
Related: Waterproof splices guide.
LED retrofits are one of the best upgrades for older systems—but only when the system is wired and tapped correctly. We match beam angle, output, and color temperature to the design objective so the result looks cohesive.
Related: LED retrofit options and MR16 LED guide.
After installation or repairs, we test at night, confirm coverage, and adjust aim to eliminate glare. If a run is dim at the end, we rebalance loads or change wiring strategy.
Most lighting systems are controlled by a mechanical timer, a photocell, or both. When those components drift or fail, the system becomes unreliable (lights on in daylight, or off at night). If the wiring and transformer are healthy, a control upgrade is often the fastest quality-of-life improvement.
Related: Lighting upgrades: smart control.
Need help? If your lights are dim, flickering, or half the system is out, we can troubleshoot and modernize the system quickly.
Book Lighting ServiceWe design and install new systems, modernize older systems, and fix the root causes behind dim, intermittent, or failed lighting.
Book Lighting Service Request a Free InspectionAlso see: Lighting Services, Repairs, Upgrades, and parts & accessories.